Snake and Cassie
by Titania Le Fey
Summary: Snake and his younger daughter.
1. Chapter 1

Snake came down with the bucket of crayons and a stack of coloring books. Hope hadn't used them in a long time so he had put them in storage. Now they were needed again. He set the bucket on the coffee table and the stack of books next to it. Cassie immediately asked if he had one with fairies.

He did. It was one of the first he bought for Hope when he didn't know her. She never colored in it always choosing the ones with cars or animals first. Snake handed the book over and watched her spill the crayons out on the coffee table. Gazing at her as he flipped half heartedly through the TV channels brought back memories. His mind drifted back to a cramped apartment and a little reddish haired girl coloring away for hours while he worked.

Snake shut off the TV and sighed. He missed Hope as a little girl. He couldn't deny that but it didn't mean he didn't love her now as an adult. He supposed all parents, even his own, miss their children being little and carefree. Snake could only assume he felt it even more so because Hope had such a short childhood.

Snake glanced down at the stack noticing one of Hope's favorite books was on top of the stack. He took it sitting back on the couch. Flipping idly through it he stopped on a colored image that made him smile. It was a man on a motorcycle. The coloring wasn't bad for a six year old but the patch drawn on was perfect. Snake chuckled and shook his head. He realized something. It wasn't her childhood he missed. He missed being her hero. Snake needed that feeling more than anything but he was never the one she turned to much anymore.

"Are you going to color with me?"

Snake looked down at Cassie and shrugged. Looking through the books he took the one from the Brooklyn zoo and slid down to sit Indian style beside Cassie. Flipping through he found an image of a female zookeeper in the snake house. Smiling he creased the book open.

"Can I have the red sweetie?"

She handed it over and Snake went to work filling in the keeper's hair. 


	2. Mother Plissken

Snake was tired by the time chores were done and he headed upstairs to tuck in his youngest. She was already dressed in her pajamas and bouncing on the bed. Snake chuckled but didn't reprimand her. It was his belief that kids should be allowed to be kids even if it meant jumping on their beds.

"Come on Sweetie." He caught her in mid jump as she bounced into him. "Time for bed."

She relented and after a big hug Cassie settled into her bed. Snake sat down on the bed and smiled. "Want me to read to you before bed?"

"Nuh uh." It was her way of saying she wanted something but not that. Snake waited with a raised brow as she squirmed beneath the blankets.

"What was your mommy like?"

That question hit Plissken right out of left field. He rarely talked about his parents to anyone. Still it was his daughter and he was always certain to be open with his family even if the rest of the world endured his cold indifference.

"She was tall and beautiful. Always remember her being pretty even when her hair turned gray." Snake had a lot of fond memories of his parents as long as he didn't think about the month or so before they died he would be fine.

Cassie had the big eyes waiting to hear more and Snake sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard and stretched his legs on the bed. She snuggled next to his hip and held on to his stomach. That one action always meant so much to Plissken. After all she had been through to have her snuggle against his hips showed more trust and love than he thought anything else might be able to express.

"She had big brown eyes and her hair was the same color as mine." Snake paused to think. It had been so long since he really thought about his mother. Memories came back that he had buried away for years.

"Her name was Ella Leann." Snake felt bad he'd almost forgotten to give her name.

"That's a pretty name." The sleepy voice brought a smile.

"Mom loved Calla lilies. Dad used to bring them home to her all the time."

"What are Calla lilies?"

"You know the white flowers out by the porch look like cups?" Snake felt the nod to his question.

"Those are calla lilies."

"Did you put them there for mommy?" The voice was a bit less sleepy but the squirming started.

"Yeah. I did. Reminds me of her to see them." Snake sighed. "Mom used to put them on the kitchen counter while she cooked. She loved to cook. Think she's the one made me like cooking even if dad taught me to do it."

Snake took a deep breath and continued. "Miss her a lot lately. She would have loved all the kids, all of you. Always wanted to be a grandmother. Never knew I'd miss her so much. Been so long since she was around, lost her too soon."

Snake felt the depression settling in. "Mom taught me to be strong when I was alone. She didn't have dad when I was born and made it work. Then she had to deal with all the bullshit about dad and the war. She never gave in to them though. She fought so much for us.

She was a modest and humble woman too. Always made people feel at home when they visited. Hope I do the same for people here. I try, just not as nice as she was. Got too much of dad's temper. Like to think I got some of mom too."

Snake sighed and was about to go on when he looked down to see Cassie was asleep. Plissken smiled. Maybe he did have some of his mom in him but it was from his dad too. He was a family man. Leaning down he kissed her cheek and slid off the bed.

"Goodnight sweetie." Snake turned out the light and quietly closed the door. He wasn't tired anymore. Talking about his mother had brought too many memories to the surface to sleep. 


End file.
